Veronica Guerin

  Plot Summary

In June 1996, a motorcyclist who pulled up alongside her as she stopped for a red light at a Dublin crossroads shot Veronica Guerin in her car. Veronica Guerin, an investigative journalist for the Irish Sunday Independent, had been reporting on the rise of heroin addiction and illegal drugs specifically in Dublin and was exposing the drug barons and organised criminal gangs. At this time, no one else was writing in depth about this issue and the Gardai were unsuccessful in reducing the problem.

This film is based on Veronica Guerin’s story from the time she decided to write about the issue to her murder by drug criminals wanting to silence her…

Review

This film is captivating and extremely easy to watch. It gives an excellent representation of the lives of the different people that are involved in this story. A good idea of Veronica Guerin’s family and her home life, her personality and her motivations for undertaking her work is shown. The competition amongst her colleagues working on a busy newspaper and the office politics are also depicted. The audience are escorted into the seedy world of crime and are also shown the more ostentatious side. Characters from politics and the Gardai are also introduced.

This film gives a good idea of who Veronica Guerin was and why she was murdered as her reports began to uncover the leaders of the criminal gangs. Unfortunately there is some unnecessary alteration of facts and the ending would have you believe that there is no drug related crime in Dublin any more! 

At times Hollywood’s twanging at the heartstrings is irritating and unnecessary with such a tragic and powerful story but overall they got it right.

The film is beautifully filmed and acted. The acting, mostly encompassing an Irish cast, is excellent and characters are introduced and developed extremely well. The Australian actress, Cate Blanchett, gives an excellent representation of the title character, Veronica Guerin.

The Bottom Line:  An excellent drama.

Reviewed by Niamh Fox, Premier Movie Reviews 2003

Genre: Drama

Certificate: 15's

Director: Joel Schumacher

~ Main Cast ~

Cate Blanchett

Gerard McSorley

Ciaran Hinds

Barry Barnes

Brenda Fricker

RATING

4 STARS

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